There are very few adults who haven’t lost, or at least forgotten, their wallets at least once. But technology will soon make this an improbability, thanks to wallets that can be embedded in tracker. In fact, these tiny trackers, which will soon start being embedded in everything from key rings to soft toys, will be our first mass exposure to the Internet of Things.

Cross Grabado tech+ wallet

This is what is called an anti-theft wallet, one that is almost impossible to lose. That is not because the wallet is smart, but because it has a small cookie like tracker inside that connects with a smartphone using an app.

What is good?

The entire setup is really easy. The tracker needs to be pressed for three seconds for it to be switched on after which it become discoverable for the Cross Tracker app that you download on the phone. Couldn’t get easier.

On the app, you can see signal strength of the tracker, how far it is from the phone and even where it is on a Google map. As you walk away the app, as expected shows, a drop in signal strength.

The app does not connect to the tracker all the time, which is good when you consider that it does not unnecessarily drain the battery. It creates a link only when you switch on the app.

What is not good?

As most men will agree, another big coin-like thing in the wallet, is just another pain in the back side. I am not sure if a lot of people will want to add this bump to their wallet.

The app is functional but it also old fashioned. In fact, I was the 11th person to download the app, which does not seem like a good sign. More shocking since the wallet comes from a reputed company like Cross. Actually, the app is created and published by Daijidong and not Cross and this had me thinking before downloading the app.

I am not sure how long the battery on this will last. In the one day I used the tracker fully, the battery life shown on the app dropped from 84% to 79%. If the battery on the tracker does not last more that six months, it is pretty much a wasted effort.

Verdict

I am not sure you want to spend Rs 4,999 to know where the guy who stole you wallet is? But it is still a good effort, ideally for geeks who want to add another gadget to your life. A must buy for those who have that kind of valuables in their wallet. Others can let this pass.